Thermal runaway detection system for batteries within enclosures

Abstract

A battery thermal runaway detection sensor system for use within a battery enclosure housing one or more batteries. The system has at least one gas sensor for detecting a venting condition of a battery cell of hydrogen, carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide, and providing a sensed output in real time. A microcontroller determines power management and signal conditioned output on the concentration of specific battery venting gases based on the sensed output from said at least one gas sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A battery thermal runaway detection system for use within a battery enclosure housing one or more batteries, the detection system comprising:
 at least one a hydrogen sensor configured to act as a primary detector and configured to provide a sensed output in real time;   at least one carbon dioxide sensor configured to act as a secondary detector and configured to provide a sensed output in real time;   a microcontroller electrically connected to the primary and secondary detectors and configured to determine power management and provide a signal conditioned output of a concentration detected by the primary and secondary detectors;   a battery controller connected to the microcontroller;   wherein the primary and secondary detectors are configured to differentiate between background and battery cell venting conditions; and   wherein said microcontroller provides a rate of progression of the thermal runaway based on the provided information from said secondary detector.   
     
     
         2 . The thermal runaway detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the background condition is characterized by hydrogen and carbon dioxide concentrations of atmospheric ambient. 
     
     
         3 . The thermal runaway detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the cell venting condition is characterized by an increase in hydrogen and carbon dioxide concentrations above atmospheric ambient. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal runaway detection system of  claim 2 , wherein the hydrogen sensor is configured to detect greater than 300 ppm hydrogen. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal runaway detection system of  claim 3  wherein the carbon dioxide sensor is configured to detect greater than 1,000 ppm carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         6 . The thermal runaway detection system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pressure sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The thermal runaway detection system of  claim 6 , wherein the pressure sensor is configured to provide information to the microcontroller for the provision of the rate of progression of the thermal runaway. 
     
     
         8 . The thermal runaway detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the battery controller is configured to turn at least one cell on or off, or control the voltage output of the at least one cell. 
     
     
         9 . The thermal runaway detection system of  claim 8 , wherein the battery controller is configured to serve as the microcontroller. 
     
     
         10 . The thermal runaway detection system of  claim 1 , further comprising a hydrocarbon detector configured for the detection of at least one selected from the group of: methane, esters, and ethane gases. 
     
     
         11 . A battery thermal runaway detection system, comprising:
 at least one a primary detector and configured to provide a sensed output in real time;   at least one secondary detector and configured to provide a sensed output in real time; and   a combined microcontroller and battery controller electrically connected to the primary and secondary detectors,   wherein the primary and secondary detectors are configured to differentiate between background and battery cell venting conditions,   wherein the background condition is characterized by hydrogen and carbon dioxide concentrations of ambient atmospheric concentrations,   wherein the battery cell venting condition is characterized by an elevation of hydrogen and carbon dioxide concentrations above ambient,   wherein said combined microcontroller is further configured to send an alarm signal upon detection of a cell venting condition, and,   wherein the combined microcontroller initiates, maintains, escalates, or ceases a response due to the alarm signal.   
     
     
         12 . A battery thermal runaway detection system for use within a battery enclosure housing one or more batteries, the detection system comprising:
 at least one a hydrogen sensor sensitive to at least 300 ppm configured to act as a primary detector and configured to provide a sensed output in real time;   at least one carbon dioxide sensor sensitive to at least 1000 ppm configured to act as a secondary detector and configured to provide a sensed output in real time; and   a microcontroller electrically connected to the primary and secondary detectors, configured to determine power management and provide a signal conditioned output of a concentration detected by the primary and secondary detectors, and configured to turn at least one cell on or off, or control the voltage output of the at least one cell,   wherein the primary and secondary detectors are configured to differentiate between background and battery cell venting conditions, and,   wherein said microcontroller provides a rate of progression of the thermal runaway based on the provided information from said primary and secondary detectors.